My first 'medical' job (not as a paramedic, but as a nursing student) was down in little old Harvey. It was my very first placement as a student, and wow, what a good one!

Within 2 hours of me starting, we had a single occupant MVA come in via SJA. Car vs tree, and the man had walked miles to the nearest homestead to get help.

Anyhow, injuries were quite extensive, including basal skull fractures, deep lacerations, and god knows what else we couldn't see nor have the facilities there to assess.

What was my job? To help by passing equipment, etc and basically observe. I was asked to get a BSL off the patient, which I attempted to do with gutso Well, after pricking his toe the 3rd time, I mentioned to my fellow nurse that I can't seem to get any blood out of him! She looked at me, cracked up and proceeded to take the BM machine out of my hands and wipe the strip across the blood oozing from his face.....

Talk about red faced! But I will never forget that first one, I doubt any of us would no matter what we see as we go along.

Remembering that the victims/families will always remember you and your efforts to help. That is what keeps me going in what I do.

rescue10 wrote:
Wanneroo Division does not exsiste now HQ closed it down and reopended it in Joondalup.

Sorry to disappoint you Rescue10, but Wanneroo Division does still exist, it just happens to operate out of Joondalup Depot/Training Centre.

At least now everything is one place, instead of training at the Ag Society building, vehicles at the council depot (or people's houses) and divisional/member records split between the Div Supt's house and the 'safe' at the Ag Society building....

Things were different back then, but not necessarily better! Not to say things are perfect now, just less cowboy antics!

It wasn't my first job, but it was my most memorable from the early days...

Out at Wanneroo Raceway covering the road bikes, when one of the riders highsided off his bike. As he was still in mid-air another ride passed him on the outside, and his handlebars caught the back of the first riders helmet, ripping the helmet off his head.

So then without a helmet the rider hits the track surface at over 100kmh. When we got to the rider he was conscious, but disoriented and combative.

I saw him at Joondalup Hospital about 2 days later, and he was sitting up in bed talking. If I remember correctly he had a minor frontal HI, pnuemothorax, #clavicle & #scapula as well as some 'cosmetic' injuries to his face.